How Jayden Daniels stole the present within the Commanders’ Week 3 upset win

How Jayden Daniels stole the present within the Commanders’ Week 3 upset win


• Daniels put collectively a record-setting efficiency: His 95.9 PFF general grade is the second-highest mark by a quarterback in a sport thus far this 12 months — trailing solely Kyler Murray (96.9) in Week 2 — and one of the best by a Washington quarterback in PFF historical past.

• Cincinnati’s stress did not faze the rookie: The former LSU Tiger went 3-for-4 for 32 yards and two touchdowns in opposition to stress, posting a 91.3 PFF general grade.

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Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes


From Andy Dalton’s renaissance efficiency to the Minnesota Vikings remaining red-hot in opposition to the Houston Texans, there have been a plethora of fascinating storylines from the third week of the 2024 NFL season. But possibly essentially the most intriguing growth occurred on Monday night time.

After two respectable performances to start out his professional profession, No. 2 general choose Jayden Daniels was unleashed in earnest in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner propelled the Washington Commanders to a 38-33 upset victory over the winless Bengals, resetting the rookie file for single-game completion share (91.3%) whereas compiling 293 complete yards and three scores. Daniels’ 95.9 PFF general grade is the second-highest mark by a quarterback in a sport thus far this 12 months — trailing solely Kyler Murray (96.9) in Week 2 — and one of the best by a Washington quarterback in PFF historical past.

Highest-Graded Quarterbacks in Week 3 | 2024
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Daniels’ first two video games noticed him largely fall sufferer to a quick play type that revolved round defending the ball. A whopping 26.4% of Daniels’ dropbacks got here on screens in opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Giants, which ranked because the third-highest proportion in Weeks 1-2. Likewise, Daniels hardly aired the ball out, along with his 5.2-yard common depth of goal rating twenty ninth amongst 30 quarterbacks with 70-plus dropbacks.

After protecting the coaching wheels on to start out the season, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury turned Daniels unfastened on Monday night time. The outcomes weren’t solely reasonably stupendous however could have unleashed the NFL’s subsequent nice dual-threat passer.

Against Cincinnati, Daniels took considerably deeper photographs downfield. His 9.7-yard common goal depth was a drastic step up from the prior two weeks, throughout which the rookie was extra contained. He entered Monday night time with solely three makes an attempt of 20-plus yards however exceeded that in opposition to the Bengals alone, going 2-for-4 on deep throws. One of these dimes included the game-winning landing to Terry McLaurin, a panoramic throw below stress that sealed the win.

Jayden Daniels’ 2024 Season Progression
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Daniels was additionally a lot improved in opposition to stress relative to the primary two weeks. Against Cincinnati — which recorded solely a 22.6% pass-rush win fee on Monday — Daniels was extra composed because the pocket constricted. The former LSU Tiger went 3-for-4 for 32 yards and two touchdowns in opposition to stress, posting a 91.3 PFF general grade. That’s significantly higher than his 47.4 and 49.3 general grades below duress in opposition to Tampa Bay and New York, respectively, regardless of the variety of pressured dropbacks being largely related.

The comparability in goal breakdown by route for Daniels additionally helps clarify the soar. In Weeks 1-2, Daniels threw to go routes or posts a mixed 9.6% of the time, however that determine leapt to twenty-eight.5% in opposition to Lou Anarumo’s protection. Likewise, the rookie focused crossing routes at a 9.5% fee in comparison with 4.8% beforehand.

Kingsbury deserves credit score for opening up the playbook, too. Daniels’ display fee was nonetheless larger than one would love in primetime (16.1%), but it surely was actually diminished relative to his preliminary two NFL video games. Trusting a rookie to make that sort of leap in solely his third professional begin wouldn’t be straightforward for a lot of coaches.

In addition to his passing prowess, the Commanders’ starter maintained his present dashing success. Daniels gained 46 yards after contact and compelled three missed tackles on solely 12 makes an attempt, posting a 77.4 dashing grade. That’s even higher than his 74.8 dashing mark via the primary two video games, which already ranked seventh amongst quarterbacks.

Highest Quarterback Rushing Grades | 2024
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Despite a scintillating ultimate faculty season in Baton Rouge, Daniels has tendencies to handle in his first few NFL seasons, together with permitting fewer pressures himself and figuring out how usually to take off and scramble (plus being extra cautious with avoiding reckless hits). Daniels nonetheless wants to enhance at avoiding his personal stress, as a result of his 9 pressures allowed are tied for fifth, and he wasn’t a lot better in that division on Monday night time. Nonetheless, these flaws will be masked when Daniels performs to such a composed and dominant diploma.

The baseline collegiate passing basis for Daniels was a stellar deep ball — his 99.2 deep-ball passing grade led the FBS final season — with a mixture of big-time throws (8.4% big-time throw fee ranked third in FBS) and avoiding turnovers (profession 1.6% turnover-worthy play share). In his first two NFL video games, Daniels had accomplished the latter, committing just one turnover-worthy play on 72 dropbacks. Now, we’re seeing the full-fledged model of the rookie, meshing his beautiful deep-ball capability with out placing the ball in hurt’s method.

The Commanders face a tough upcoming three-game stretch that includes the Cardinals, Browns and Ravens, with the latter two fielding defenses with top-10 PFF grades. Despite the problem these items pose, they need to function additional litmus checks for Daniels and his capability to weaponize each his arm and athleticism, plus keep calm below stress.

Ultimately, if Kingsbury continues to permit Daniels to make splash performs by attacking down the sector and along with his legs, sustained success might comply with for Washington’s budding rookie — and doubtlessly even permit the Commanders to exceed preseason win expectations.



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